The Dumbest Generation

Nicole Heytink, Kristina Boele, Jessi Levine, Maria Kovoros, and Morgan Kenny

Facts:
Ch.1 &2
Jay Leno- the Tonight show "Jaywalking" He asks questions and so many contestants don't know the facts. They get to pick the grade level of the questions and they still don't know the answers. The younger ages like 20 year old are the ones that mostly don't know the answer.

Question: "Do you remember the last book you read?" - Leno queries a young man
Answers:"Do magazine count?
People aren't reading books they are more into computers, comic books and magazines.

Question: " Where does the Pope live?
Answer: England
Question: Where in England?
Answer: Ummm Paris
This implying that people don't even know what cities are in what states/countries.

"Your friends and you probably never let a historical fact or current affair slip into a text message, it isn't enough to say that these young people are uninterested in world realities they are actually cut off from them. Or a better way to put it is that they are more focused on friends, work, clothes, cars, music, internet, and facebook."


"In 2001 57% of high school students scored below basic and 1% reached advanced on the NAEP history exam."
"In 1994 fourth graders stood at only 36% basic and in 2001 it lowered to 33%."
"The 18 year old may have a Visa Card, cell phone, myspace page, part time job, play station two, and an admission letter to State U, but ask this wired and on-the-go high school senior a few intellectual questions and the facade of in-the-know-ness crumbles.

Ch.3 and 4
"The Millennials"- those born between 1980-2000 have an innate ability to use technology, are comfortable multitasking while using a diverse range of digital media, and literally demand interactivity as they construct knowledge.
We might assume that with children such at tender ages the screen activities follow a parent directive. While father fights the traffic, mother must prepare dinner and so she sets their 2 year old on the living room carpet and starts "sesame street. Once again the home environment supports the pattern.
Children are so focused on technology- they have their cellphones, computers, and tv right in their rooms. They do all these things at the same time while doing their homework. They never need to exit their room. They aren't focused on their hw.

Tv in home - (99%)
tv in childrens bedroom(68%)
computer (86%)
video game consoles (83%)


Percentage of kids who consume different media in an average day and for how long:
-watch television 84% (3:04 hours)
-use a computer: 54% (48 minutes in online usage alone)
-read a magazine: 47% (14 minutes)
-read a book: 46% (23 minutes)

-play video games: 41% (32 minutes at console, 17 minutes with handheld)
-watch videos/DVDs: 39% (32 minutes)
-watch prerecorded TV: 21% (14 minutes)
-go to a movie: 13%

PAGE 100 IMPORTANT INFORMATION- Apples campaign on how anything thats not on the internet is not important.

Anyone can learn about anything on the information but thats not where kids go. They go to social networking.
Among on the options on its teen page " Look at Pretty Picture" a file of celevrity photos whose main attraction apperas in the subtitle- Because its better than homework.
Students can image and browse and post and play but they cant judge the materials they process at least not intellectual or professional terms of college classes
While college age students can use technology they dont necessarily know what to do with the contents the technology provides.

Technology effects students so much. They dont have time to do their homework, but have their time to check their facebook and other internet websites. Even during the breaks of class they check their phones and update what they do during the day.
Within Bauerlein's collected research, several disturbing trends among young people do emerge. The fact-based, multiple-choice approach to education has hampered our ability to "think historically," meaning young Americans have difficulties placing current events in relation to their historical contexts. Only 22 percent of those involved in one survey could identify key phrases from the Gettysburg Address. Yet in the same survey, 99 percent could identify Beavis and Butt-Head.



pg. 170

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